Unit strip assembly method and apparatus



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BY Q G MM W M I, w m N Patented Sept. 21, 1948 UNIT STRIP ASSEMBLY METHOD AND APPARATUS Arthur L. Hess, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignoi: to Ditto, Incorporated, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of West Virginia Application February 24, 1944, Serial No. 523,661

The present invention relates to assembly apparatus adapted to assemble a plurality of units such as envelopes, sheets, cards and the like in overlapped relation and to secure these units,

when assembled, in such fashion that they may be readily separated from, each other after having been passed through a printing or duplicating operation, as a group. The present invention is particularly applicable to, althoughnot limited to, the assembly of envelopes such as pay envelopes into groups by, the use of gummed tape. It is the purpose of this invention to provide a method and apparatus whereby envelopes, sheets and the like are accurately positioned and then secured in position by the application thereto of one or more strips of tape. My invention contemplates the provision of a novel mechanism thatinsures contact with. the tape of each envelope or sheet at the exposed portion thereof, and moistening means for adequately moistening the tape prior to its application tothe envelopes. t

The features and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully as the description proceeds, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the invention is shown. It is to beunderstood however that the drawings and description are illustrative only and are not to be taken as limiting the invention except insofar as it is limited by the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through an assembling apparatus operable to assemble envelopes, sheets, cards and the like and apply a gummed tape thereto;

Fig. 2 is a plan sectional view taken substantially on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1; i i i Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 55 of Fig; 1;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 'll of Fig. 1; i

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional View similar to Fig. lbut showing a changed position of parts Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing a series of envelopes secured together in accordance with my invention; I i i Fig. 10 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating another form of construction wherein the tape is applied to the overlapped envelopes,

12 Claims. (Cl. 27058 sheets, cards and thelike from. the top instead of from the bottom;

Fig. 11 is a plan sectional view taken on the line |ll'| of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line I2 -l2 ofFig. 11; and

* stop 2.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional View similar to Fig. 10 illustrating the changed position of the tape applying mechanism.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the present invention is shown in connection with unit strip assembly apparatus which is provided with a conveyor device I that is adapted to advance sheet-like articles suchas envelopes, sheets and cards one at a time against a registering The details oflthe conveyor I form no part of the present invention. They are shown in the eo-pending application of Christian Paulsen, Serial No. 531,855, filed April, 20, 1944.. This patent application also discloses in detail the registering stop 2 and the mechanism associated therewith by which the overlapped envelopes, sheets andthe like, indicated at 3 in Fig. 1, are advanced; This advancing mechanism however forms an integral part of the present combination and will be described in sufiicient detail to enable its operation to be understood. The drive mechanism by which the advancing is accomplished is not shown in detail herein since that is believed to be unnecessary for the understanding of the present invention.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1, 3 and 8, it will be ,noted that the conveyor l delivers the envelopes, upon a cross bar! and between two side guides 5 and 6 which are adjustable toward and away from each other on a supporting bar 1 that is fastened to the cross bar 4. The envelopes extend across onto a stationary cross bar -8 whichlies directly beneath the reg: istering stops 2. Beyond the stationary supporting bar 8 is another bar 9 which forms part of a'conveyor made up of a series of horizontally reciprocating bars Ill and vertically reciprocating bars H interposed therebetween, the bars ll being arranged to move downwardly below the top level of the bars-Ill when the bars 10 are advanced to the right from theposition shown in Fig. 1. Then while thebars lflare being returned to their original position, as shown in Fig. 1, the bars II are raised tothe position shown in Fig. 1 in order to lift any sheets, envelopes or the like riding on the bars I I! and thus hold the sheets stationary while the bars l0 return to original position, i

The bar 4 ismounted for reciprocatory movement withthe bar 9 and the bars l0. These sevtogether by a common shaft 22 which is oscillated by means of a crank arm 23 from the drive source (not shown) of the apparatus. The brackets 66 and I! also provide guides 24 and 25 for two vertically reciprocatingpins :26 and 21. These pins have heads on their lower ends, which heads are adapted to be engaged by rollers 28 and 29 on the free ends of tWo lever arms 30 and 3| which are also actuated from said power source.

The pins 26 and 2? are the supporting means for a gripping mechanism which is adapted to grip the sheets envelopes and the like tothe bar 4 so as to advance them with 'theb'ar whenithe guide bars I2 and iii are advanced. This gripping mechanism comprises t'wo bars 32 and 33 which are mounted on the p'insi't and 27. The bars 32 and 33 carry a gripping bar 34 which in turn has a plurality of gripper members 3'5 adj'ustably mounted th'er'eon'so thatthey can be moved toward and away from each other. These members ""35 are the actual gripping members whichengage theenv'elopes on the bar 4.

The bar 34 also carries a pair of forwardly extending strips 36 and 31, which strips are provided at th'ei'rfre'e ends with adjustable pins 33 and 539 that are adapted to engage the forward ends of sheets resting on the bar 9 when the gripping mechanism is lowered so as to bring the members 135 into engagement with sheets on thebar' 4.

The bar 34 in 'additionto the members 35 also has fixed gripping members 40, '4] and 42 there on ,-th'e member 4! being between two blocks 43 and "thatsupport the bars '36 and -3'! on the bar 3'4.

The barf34 is connected to the bar dibymeans of two p'osts'45 and 1 6. These posts.are.threaded ih'tothebar l and locked in position by means of lock nuts. The posts have heads at the free ends thereof and carry springs 41 and 48 between the heads and the bar "3 3. The springs and 48 are under compression so that they tend-to force the bar'sl and its grippin members downwardly at all times against the upw'ar'd'movement communicated to the bar 34 by the pins 2 6 and 2? through the bars 32 and 33. The bars 32 and 33 are further provided with springs '49 and 50 at their outer ends, these springs being in-tension andconnected at their lowerends to pins and 52-on the levers 30 and respectively.

{Referring now to Figsfll, 3, 6 and 8, the stops 2 are mounted o'n the free ends of two levers 153 and T54, which levers are fixed on a shaft .55 which is driven in timed relation to the shaft 22 so as to lift the levers 53 and 54 .and the stops l when .the shaft -22,is being rocked in a direction to advance the bars II and 9. Each stop is adjustably mounted-on the end of its lever in the following ma-nner. The stop is pivoted by means of a pivotpin .56 to the free end of the lever and is provided with 'an aperture 5i .atsome distance from the pivot pin, 'th-isaperture being provided to receive a=pin 58 on the corresponding lever 530r5. The stop 2h'as an adjusting screw59 threaded thereinand extend- 4 ing into the aperture 51 to engage the pin 58. The end of the stop 2 carrying the aperture 51 overbalances the portion of the stop 2, that is, to the left of the pivot pin 56, as illustrated in Fig. 1, so that the stop will always bear against the lower end of the adjusting screw 59 and the adjusting screw can be moved up or down to thus vary the position of the sheet engaging end of the stop 2.

In order to secure the several envelopes or sheets together as they are arranged in overlapped relation by the successive feeding thereof being journaled upon two bearings 53 and 64 (see Fig. .2) which are threaded onto a shaft 65 that in turn is carried by a bracket 66. The bracket 66 has two arms 61 and 68 carrying the shaft 85. This bracket is mounted upon a cross tie 69 that extends between two supportin legs 0 and 'Hfor the framework ofthemachine,

The bearings b3 and 64 also provide supporting means fortwo frame members'iZ and 13 that extend forwardly and are supported at their forward ends by two additional bearings ll and f5. Thebearings 14 and "I5 are threaded upon a shaft T6 which in turn issupported'by an inverted U shaped member "i"! (see Fig. 3) that is welded or otherwise secured to a clamp plate 18 carried by across bar 19 of the main frame. The endsofthe frame members '12 and 73 extend upwardly from the shaft 16 (see Fig. 3) to provide supporting portions an'olfl'l upon which bearings8-2 and'83 are carried.

The bearings 82 and 83 have tape guide pulleys 85 and 85 thereon. Likewisethe bearings l4 and 245 have tape "guide pulleys '86 and 81 thereon. The: members 12 and 13 .also have intermediate their ends two tape guide pulleys "88 and .89 thereon (see Fig. 2). The paths of the tapes .69 extend from "the spools 6i and "62 beneath the pulleys 188 and 89, then beneath the pulleys 86 and"87 and upwardly and overthe pulleys 84 and E5, and "then over a wear plate 90 that is provided on the bar 4. The tape is moistened by moisten'ing mechanisms to be hereinafter described so that when it is engaged by an envelope or shee't'3 it will adhere thereto and be advanced forwardly with the envelope whenthe envelope is gripped on thebar G and the "bar '6 is advanced.

I find that in order toadcquately preparethe sheets it must be moistened sufficiently in ad- Vance-of engagement withthe envelopesto enable the adhesive thereon to absorb themoisture. It must also bere moiis-tened just before engaging the envelope. I therefore provide two independent moistening devices spaced apart a substantial distance along the line of travel; of the tape so that the first moistening device will cause initial softening of the adhesive and'the-zsecond moiistening device will supply the additional necessary moisture to propeiily condition'the :adhesive for adherence to the envelopes.

One of the moisteningdevices is locateddirect-ly adjacent to theguide pulleys 88 and. This 'moiste'nin'g deviceincludes a liquid supply tank -9l mounted onithe slide of'the'rna'chin'e. A pipe 92 extends downwardly from the tank 91 to a T connection 93 which is midway-between the two frame me rnbers l 2 (and 1'3 and beneath them. From this "T connection] two flexib le' tubes brackets 93 and 91 that are mounted ondependingears 98 and 99 of the frame members 12 and 13 by a rock shaft I00. The brackets 96'and 91 have lclamps IOI and I02 thereon which clamp the free ends of the flexible tubes 94 and 95 in place. Wicksl03 and I04 are forced into the upper ends ofthe tubes 94 and 95 so as to carry the 'moistening liquid upward by capillary action, and these wicks engage the tape Was it passes beneath the guide pulleys 88 land 89. Thewicks I03 andI04 are the first moistening devices. In operation they are normally held in engagement with the tape in the manner shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. However, when it is desired to move them out of engagement with the tape the rock shaft I is turned in a clockwise direction fromthe position shown in Fig. 1 so as to swing the tubes and the wicks out of the way of the tape. The rock shaft I00 has an upturned end I05 for this purpose. The rock shaft has a flattened side where it extends through the brackets 96 and 91 so as to cause the brackets to turn with it. Stop pins I06 and I01 are. provided on the frame members 12 and 13 so as to limit the counterclockwise movement of the brackets 96 and 91.

The second moistening device is adapted to moisten the tape as it passes around the guide pulleys 84 and 05. This moistening device comprises a liquid supply tank I00 (see Fig. 3) I and a pipe I09 leading from the tank I08 to a T connection H0. The T connection IIO has two flexibletubes III and H2 secured thereto, and these flexible tubes extend outwardly and upwardly to two brackets H3 and H4 that are carried on the upwardly extending ends 80 and 8| of the frame members 12 and 13. The brackets H3 and ll4ha've a rock shaft II5 threaded through them (see Fig.6). The bracket H3 is secured to the rock shaft by a set screw I I6. The rock shaft has a flattened side II1 that extends through thebracket II4 which is apertured with an opening having a flat surface to engage the flat side 1' of the rock shaft. It Willbe noted that the bracket II4 has its own bearing in the member ill, but the bracket H3 is carrieddirect- 1y by the shaft I I5. Fig. '1 illustrates the manner in which the flem'ble tubes are clamped tothe brackets. A metal clip II8 extends over the tube and is fastened to the bracket by a headed screw II9. This headed screw IZLISO has'a spring I20 secured thereto and the spring is hooked into a pin I2I on the member III, the spring being under tension so as to tend topull the bracket H4 in a clockwise direction as shown in Fig. 1. Each of the tubes III and. H2 has a wick I22 forced into the upper end thereof and this wick is bent over toward the adjacent pulley 84 or 85 so as to engage the tape as it passes over the pulley. The bracket II3 has a curved clip I23 thereon holding the wick in a curved position, and the bracket II4 has a corresponding clip I24 thereon holding its wick I22 in a curved position. In view of the fact that the IOlCk shaft is nonrotatablyconnected to the bracket II4 it is only necessary to provide one spring I20 although it is obvious that springs can be provided on both brackets if desired. The rock shaft H5 is provided with an upturned end I25 by which it can be turned to swing the brackets I I3 and I I4 counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 1, to swing the moistening wicks I22 away from engagement with the tape. Y I I It is believed to be evident from the foregoing description that the. moistening devicesare so tating it.

arranged as to first moiste the tape as it passes beneath the guide pulleys :88 and 89 thus to allow the moisture delivered to the tape to be absorbed by the adhesive as the tape travels from the pulleys 88 and 89 upward to the-pulleys 84 and85. At this point the moistening wicks I22 then ene gage the tape so that when thetape passes over the bar 4 it is in pro-per condition to adhere to the envelopes or sheets positioned on the bar. Each time the gripping members 35, 40, 4II and carry the framemembers 12 and 13, and the threads! on the shafts are in opposite directions, that is, right and left-hand at the opposite ends of the shafts. The shafts are also connected by a sprocket chain I26 and two sprocket wheels I21 and I28 so that by rotating the shaft both the shaftscan be turned alike to spread the frame members 12 and 13 or to bring them closer .together, these members being a supporting mech anismfor the guide pulleys and the moistening brackets. The entire guide mechanism and the spools are thus spread apart or brought together merely by rotating the shaft 65. This shaft has a polygonal head I29 to receive a crank for ro.-.

Referring now to. Figs. 10 to 13, inclusive, in these figures the tape applying mechanism has been moved from-the positionwhere it applies the tape beneath the envelopes, sheets. and the like to a position where it applies the. tape over them as they are arranged uponthe bars 4, 8 and 9. According to this form of the invention gummed tape spools I30 are mounted upon upstanding posts I3I at opposite sides of the main frame of themachine. Theframework for supporting these spools and for adjusting them toward and away fromeach other is essentially the same as inthe main form of the invention, there being two side frames I32 mounted in the same fashion as the frames 12 and 13. The two side frames are alike and the ,ShOWiIlg in Fig. 10

is believed to suffice for both. Along each side frame there are three guide pulleys I33, I34 and I35. The guide pulley I35 is located alongside and in close proximity to the registering stops 2 so as to guide the tape downwardly over the assembled envelopes and cause it to engage the envelopes after they have been positioned by the stops 2 and gripped by the gripping members 35.

The means for forcing the gummed tape firmly into engagementwith the top exposed portion of eachenvelope or sheet comprises two additionalarms, I36 and I31 mounted on the shaft 55 between the arms 53 and 54. The arms I36 and I31 carry pivoted pressing members I38 and I39, which pressing members are mounted in precisely the same fashion as the registering stops 2; that is, they are pivoted on the ends of the arms I36 and I31 and are provided with adjusting screws I40 and MI bearing against suitable pins I42 and I43 provided on the arms I36 and I31 so that their position may be adjusted. It will be evident from an inspection of Figs. 10 and. 13 thattherforward ends of the pressing members 

